Pre-Parenthood
by Kikato
Summary: Emi's life is turned around when the people she thought dead live and Maou isn't who she always thought he was. Maou finds new meaning to his life on earth and happiness he didn't know possible and a little three year old girl meets her mom and dad for the first time. This is the prequel to Parenthood.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: So this is far in the AU, sorry guys but this is how it came to me and I like it. If you don't I'm sorry but consider yourself warned, THIS WILL CONFLICT WITH THE LN. Thank you for reading and while we are at it here are a few other warnings. This IS an Emi+Maou piece and SPOILERS. After all that, you should be fairly safe but wear a helmet just in case.

-Emi-

Emi stood on the street corner where she had first met Maou in his human form. He had given her his umbrella out of the goodness of his heart and she had expected a price but there was nothing he ever asked in return. Emi laughed at the thought, out of the goodness of the devils heart. She almost felt pathetic for even letting him help her. But for some reason he kept showing up every time she needed someone. Tonight was almost the same as that night. She was waiting for the walk light to turn green in the rain by herself. The only difference was that tonight there was no Maou, and no chance he would swoop in to save her from her own thoughts.

"Jeez Maou, make a girl rely on you just to show her up on a street corner. Jerk."

Emi's heart tightened as she thought about how Maou was spending his evening. He and Chiho had gone out shopping for there boss's birthday. Even though Emi knew that Maou only saw this as being a good manager and friend to Kisaki, she also knew that Chiho saw tonight as something more. To Chiho, tonight was a night alone with Maou, to her it was a date. Emi knew she had no right to make a move towards Maou. She had sworn to Chiho that she felt nothing for Maou, that she even hated him. But things had changed somewhere down the line. She didn't know when or even how but the thought of Maou laughing with some other girl, even Chiho, made her irritable and depressed.

Emi was shaken from her thoughts when she heard footsteps approach from behind her. Just then a clear umbrella covered her from the endless downpour. She turned to see who was there, half expecting half hoping it was Maou. So suffices to say she was shocked to see a familiar face from Enti-Isla.

A young man the same age as herself with light brown hair and bright green eyes stood next to her. He glowed with energy and enthusiasm. His lean figure showed that he was the kind of person that never truly stopped moving, always on the go with a new adventure to be had. His eyes burned with a fire to live life as far as he could push his limits.

"Hey big sis."

-Maou-

Maou walked through the mall with Chiho by his side. She seemed to to be acting weirder than usual but Maou was too absorbed in his thoughts to care honestly. Since this morning he had been pondering what Kisaki was to him. She was definitely not just his boss anymore, she was something more. More than a good friend too. Maou didn't think he had feelings for her romantically but he knew his life would feel empty if she were to leave it. This bothered him a lot. He didn't like not knowing where he stood with the people around him.

"Chiho, How do you feel about Kisaki-san?" The question obviously caught her off guard. She had a little freak out that he was finally speaking again.

"I don't know, she's kind of like an older sister I guess. She always knows what to say to give me the push in the right direction." Maou stopped in his tracks, the puzzled look that had lingered on his face was finally gone. That was it, the perfect description for Kisaki was the older sister he never had. That's why he couldn't place the feeling he had, he had no prior experience with older siblings. She had become the person he felt he could confide in but knew that she would always hold a more mature levelheaded point of view. Someone he could rely on to be brutally truthful but caring at the same time. Kisaki had become family to him.

-Emi-

"Azzel, why are you here? How are you here?" Emi's eyes were wide with surprise and joy but she also felt a strange twinge of fear in her gut. She had never felt that towards her brother until now and she had no clue to the reason why she felt this way.

"It's been five years since we last saw each other Emi, maybe start off with hi. Then work our way up to the questions that take explaining." Azzel's tone seemed playful to most but Emi knew him and she knew how to pick up on his annoyed under tones.

"Sorry, it's just you surprised me is all. It's good to see you again brother. How is mother?" Emi still felt slightly on edge but she still couldn't think of why she would have any reason to be.

"She is well. I'd love to talk more but do you think we could get out of this drizzle? My pad is just a few blocks up this way. Maybe you can tell me what you have been up to during your time here."

-Maou-

Maou walked through his front door and collapsed onto one of the sleeping mats laid out. The evening had wiped him out completely. Of all of Japan, the shopping distracts had to be the most difficult to adjust to. They had nothing of the sort in Enti-Isla. Maou was happy with how the evening turned out even with all the stress though. In the end he had gotten Kisaki a pair of tickets to a favorite band of hers that he had heard her talk about several times. Maou let his eyes fade shut and he fell into a deep rem sleep.

-Emi-

Emi followed Azzel through the poorly lit streets back to his apartment. He had explained to her that he had someone back at his place that wanted to see her and promised that it would be well worth her time. They had shared stories back and forth about there time on Earth though Azzel didn't say much on the topic he still listened to Emi and all the craziness her and this girl 'Rika' had gone through. Most of her stories were based around work but he assumed that Emi was just being herself and overworking to the point of no life. Finally they reached Azzel's flat and he pulled out his key.

"Emi what you see beyond this point will change your life and your views on just about everything. But I need you to keep a cool head, for you as much as for them. Mm'kay?" After finishing his sentence he turned the key and then the knob.

"Azzel, you're acting weird. What's so….. Daddy?! Emi burst through the door and into her fathers arms trying to speak through sobs. "I-I though you were d-dead. I s-saw the f-farm burned to ashes."

"Your mother came to get me long before that happened. After you left to fight alongside the church your mother found a place we could live in peace, a place where our love wasn't forbidden. I'm so sorry we couldn't tell you, and I'm sorry I didn't do some thing to let you know I was alive. If I had known what you thought I would have found a way, you have to believe me Emilia, I would have done anything." Emi's sobs were dieing out but her eyes were still crying rivers.

"I believe you daddy. I'm just glad you're alive."

"Still Think I'm acting weird?" Azzel's laughter filled the small room but was cut short by the sound of footsteps. A beautiful middle age woman tentatively walked into the living room. Her soft brown hair framed her face perfectly. Her deep red eye's were lit with joy at seeing Emi again.

"Mom!" Emi quickly paced to her mother and the two women embraced each other tightly. Emi hadn't seen her mother since she was a very young girl. Tonight was the best night of her life, tonight was the night Emilia Justina got her family back.

A/N: My internet is a bit of a situation right now so I don't know when I'll be able to update. But this is not a one-shot, there is more coming. I'm planing to keep the chapters this length to fit with the one-shot I already posted but If I get a majority of requests to make them longer and you guys are cool with the wait time then I might change that.

See you in chapter two!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hi everyone, glad to be back. I'm sorry for the wait, but my PC is back up so I'm back. I also probably just jinxed it. Anyway thank you all so much for all the favs and follows and the reviews. They all brighten my day. This chapter is more story less set up. I hope you enjoy.

A/N Part 2: Azzel Yusa: For the sake of this story I assumed that Yusa is the translation of Justina, Emi's surname. Also Azzel is an OC who probably won't appear outside of this story unless you guys just really love him and want to see him in my other stories.

-Maou-

Maou's eyes drifted open to the smell of burn eggs and bacon. He sat up quickly when he remembered that Alciel had demanded that Urushihara learn to cook and that he would be the one to teach him. At this rate Maou was sure he would wake up in the middle of a raging fire.

"You are doing this all very wrong. If you do not try harder then you will never learn." Alciel's voice was raised in agitation but he was trying his best to teach the young boy.

"What makes you think I want to learn how to be a house wife?" That put Alciel over the edge. Maou counted three veins that visibly bulged from Alciel's neck and forehead as he began his rant at the boy about how men should be just as competent as women in the kitchen. He then proceeded to list as many famous male chefs as he could Though he failed to pronounce most of them correctly.

There was a light knock on the door to the apartment and Maou walked over to answer it while the other two continued their fight. Maou opened the door and to his surprise and oddly delight stood a very tired looking Emi.

"We need to talk." Emi's tone was serious but lacked her usual bite.

"Okay, come in." There was a small pause before she replied.

"Alone." Whatever it is it must be important thought Maou. Her wanting to be alone with him was more than a rarity.

"...Just you wait. When we kick you out of here for being the useless NEET you are and you don't have any girl to cook and clean for you then you'll see I'm right."

"Maou isn't going to kick me out! Right Maou?"

"Oh you assume too much little brat. He surely would kick you out, right Sire?"

"Hehe…um" Maou let off a nervous chuckle before forming up an escape plan. "Well you see, Emi and I had plans today and I forgot so I have to go. Maou slipped his shoes on and started to the door.

"But Sire, your breakfast."

"I'll grab something on the way, gotta go, bye." Maou rushed out the door and quickly shut it behind him.

"But we didn't have plans for today." Emi's cutely puzzled expression made Maou laugh.

"Better they don't know that and thanks for the save, that was getting heated." Emi chuckled which caught Maou by surprise. She had never done that for him, and to be honest it was one of the most beautiful sounds he had ever heard. He looked back and saw a small smile on the hero's face and his heart skipped a few beats. The two made their way down the stairs from Maou's apartment and into the streets of Tokyo.

They aimlessly walked down the street headed out of the suburbs into the shopping distract. Emi was being rather quiet which was throwing Maou off a bit. Usually her temper would be raging at just the fact that he was around her. He decided to take his chances with enraging her and broke the awkward silence.

"I'm starved. Have you eaten? Lets start there." He waited for the hero to get flustered or insult him for only thinking of his stomach but nothing came. She only gave a small nod as she continued by his side. Emi was acting completely out of character and Maou was determined to find out why. The two walked into a nearby restaurant. The atmosphere was more high class than McRonalds but not so high that Maou's wallet would suffer a fatal blow. Emi took a table by the windows in a more secluded part of the restaurant and Maou sat across from her. Something was definitely up with her, and honestly it was beginning to scare him.

"Emi, what's up with you today? You seem out of it. Are you OK?" There was a long pause of silence and Maou was beginning to suspect that she was ignoring him, or she was so out of it that she hadn't even heard his question. He began to study her face hoping for any clue to her recent behavior. She looked deep in thought but she was fighting with something too. Finally she looked back at him and broke the silence.

"Why did you lie to me, about the war on Enti Isla? Why did you take responsibility?" Her voice was just above a whisper and her tone was a bit shaky but none the less Maou heard every word she said and each one shot through him with agonizing pain.

"I was their leader, it is my responsibility." Maou's voice wavered slightly but he quickly regained his composer. Emi was obviously still unconvinced.

"I know what happened Maou. I know that you were having peace talks to try and stop the war before it began. I know that Urushihara found a spy and retaliated, and that he pulled you into a war. I know that you did everything you could to stop it. So why do you keep blaming yourself?!" Emi was now very flustered.

"Not everything." Maou's eyes began to glaze over with unshed tears. "There is more to the night that we found the spy than people know." He had peaked Emi's interest and when he calmed himself back down he continued. "We lost a good friend that day but, Urushihara lost more, a lot more. He had a lover, and they were close, I would say closer than most. They lived for each other. When the church spy infiltrated my castle he didn't even attempt to take my life. Instead he went to Urushihara's room where his love waited for him to return from my court. The spy took her life, and Urushihara arrived to witness the final blow. That night he lost his purpose to live. When the spy escaped he turned his hate to the church and I didn't stop him. I didn't want to stop him." When Maou finished Emi just sat there staring at him the shock not wearing of?

"Why, why would the church do something like that?" Emi was still slightly dumbfound. She had aided in defending the murderer of Urushihara's lover.

"Because Emi, we are abominations to them. They wanted to war as an excuse to exterminate us. Our women and children were not spared from your churches conquests. Our villages were burned and our name disgraced. Your church would like to claim superiority but they treated us no different than we treated them, and they started this war." Maou's fists were clenched on the table and his jaw was grinding back and forth. She had never seen him this angry.

"If I had known, I..." She was cut off by a very angry and adamant Maou.

"If you had known, You would have been killed or branded a heretic." The anger left his voice towards the end. "And I would never want that for you." It was barley audible but she still heard it. Emi turned a bright pink before quickly standing up.

"I'm going up to order, What do you want?" Emi took Maou's order and walked up to the formed line. Her brain was racing but one thought kept coming back on her again and again. Like mother like daughter. She had walked away from everything, her life, her duties, her rank in the church, all for him. If she was being honest with herself, she was exactly like her mother. She gave their order to the lady behind the register and paid, then she walked back to her table to wait for her number to be called. When she sat down she looked across to see Maou giving her a critical look.

"How do you know all what happened on Enti Isla?" Emi knew this moment was coming she just didn't know if she was prepared for it. Not like that mattered much because it was the moment of truth and it was here, like it or not.

"My mother, She is in town. I saw her last night. She's the one who told me what really happened." Emi finished and looked up but Maou didn't have the expression she expected. Instead of shock or fear he seemed, relieved. Emi looked across and for a reason she couldn't pinpoint his lack of surprise irked her so she decided to drop the next bit of information. "My brother's in town too, he is looking forward to meeting you." It did the trick, Maou's face turned pale and she saw a small glimpse of fear spark across his eyes before he could put up a facade. Emi smiled to herself pleased with the reaction she could provoke from him.

A/N: Thank you for reading! I will see you next chapter. BTW I have started on a Christmas present for you guys.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hello all! Hope everyone had or is having a successful finals week. I had a lot of fun writing this chapter but it ran away with itself a little. I hope you all enjoy and I'll try to bring the finish to the cliff hanger much sooner. Also I went back and fixed Urushihara's name in previous chapters.

PS: Only one or two more chapters until Alas! She makes everything so much easier to wright.

The sound of cars driving in the harsh rain filled Azzel's ears. The pitter pater of hundreds of shoes running to escape the rain and wind while lights strobed and flashed through the night. Azzel could hear everyone from his perch atop a nearby store rooftop, all the angry mutters, all the hushed complaining, everything. It seemed out of everyone in his earshot he was the only one enjoying himself. Azzel found it rather sad how people hated the rain, he found that it was when Tokyo was most beautiful. All the lights reflecting and the rhythmic sound of the raindrops, it all seemed to put him at peace, but that was how he always felt about nature.

Someone in the crowd caught his attention, a young pink haired girl carrying two brown paper shopping bags. Even though she had no umbrella and her hair and clothes were soaked she still was smiling and humming contently to herself. Azzel noticed her as an irregularity, a beautiful irregularity. A light grin crept onto his face, perhaps all hope had not been lost in regard to the humans of this world. But just as one could hope, they also could be proven utterly and completely wrong.

The girl turned right around a building and out of Azzel's line of sight but he could still clearly see the three delinquents getting ready to turn the same corner. All three boy laughing and seeping with ill intent. Azzel both loved and hated these moments, it was sad that he would need to make an appearance at all to these losers, but at the same time he thoroughly enjoyed scaring punks like this. Azzel quickly jumped down off of the roof and into the alley behind the store, right into a puddle.

"Great, just great, and these are brand new shoes too." With only the alley cats to hear his groaning he decided to continue onward. He felt the stares of pity on him as he walked through the downpour with no protection from the raindrops. Walking past the store he was just above he made his way to the same corner the girl and three boys had turned. Just as he had expected they had her backed against a wall fear apparent on her young face. She had nowhere to run and no way to confront her harassers without injury to herself. Azzel felt his anger rise in his chest but remembered his mothers words to him when he was a child.

 _"Azzel, you are an angel of light, a defender of the tree of life, and a protector of the innocent. You have a duty and as such you must put aside your feelings when they contradict that duty."_ Azzel took a deep breath to calm his nerves before approaching the fools. He let out a sickening laugh catching the attention of the three boys.

"So this is what humans do for fun, such primal foolishness." Azzels cold tone cut through the night air chilling his opponents to their core. He could tell his comment about 'humans' had confused the boys. He really did enjoy this too much. The one in the middle, presumably their leader, took a step forward.

"Get lost punk! This doesn't concern you!" He was trying to assert authority but Azzel could smell his fear and adrenalin. The boy was so scared that Azzel almost felt bad for what he was going to do next. But why stop now, when he was having so much fun.

"Punk? That's such a small word to describe someone like me. I prefer..." and pause for effect. This really was too easy. Azzel began to materialize two satin white wings behind him. "Sire." With that word he glared at the three boys with cutting green eyes and spread his wings full length. All three boy staggered back before turning and running fast and far from him. The young pink haired girl however did nothing, she just stood there looking at him with not fear but concern.

"Are you from Enti-Isla?" Her words cut through him. Azzel's adrenalin spiked and his right arm began to gather magic preparing to summon his holy sword. If this girl knew of Enti-Isla that means she most likely came from there. The fact that Azzel had not noticed any magic flowing in her meant that whatever she was, angel or demon, she was powerful. Skilled enough to hide her own magic presence, something he had only heard of high level spies and military leaders accomplishing. "Why can't you leave Emi and Mr. Maou alone?! They already proved that they just want to live in peace."

"Hey Chiho is that you?" Emi's voice could be heard around the corner. "What are you doing out this lat… Azzel?!" Azzel looked over his shoulder to see his sister staring at him in his half battle state. "Azzel, would you like to explain why you are threatening my friend Chiho in a dark alley or should I beat the excuses out of you?" She was popping each knuckle throughout her sentence and her hair was beginning to float like it always did when she summoned her holy sword.

"I was just, some guys followed her into the alley and I just, um heh heh. Please not the face sis." Azzel's voice was wavering. Chiho stepped between the two siblings laughing a bit awkwardly.

"Some guys attacked me and Mr. Azzel stepped in to stop them." She then spun a180 and bowed to Azzel. "Thank you Mr. Azzel, You are very kind." Azzel couldn't help but blush a little. It wasn't every day he had a beautiful young woman thank him for coming to her aid. However as usual his sister ruined his moment.

"Psh, Mr. Azzel?!" She couldn't hold it in any longer, and Emi began to laugh hysterically. "Azzel is no Mr., Chiho. In fact he's the biggest kid you'll ever meet." Azzel let out a mock offended gasp before shooting back with a workaholic comment. This continued for a minute or so before Chiho interrupted to clarify her understanding of the situation.

"So Emi, Azzel is your brother here from Enti-Isla? Is he here to take out Mr. Maou too?" Both girls turned there gaze to Azzel and he suddenly felt very on the spot. Both girl were emanating a dangerously violent aura about them.

"I'm not here to 'take out' anyone, well that mostly depends on your version of take out. I'm still single and not against taking out a nice girl." Azzel stopped suddenly embarrassed, which for the most part was a new one for him. It wasn't often that he found himself caught off guard but the fact that this girls very presence was toying with his emotions was beginning to tick him off. "Who the hell is this Maou guy anyway?"

"Funny choice of words." Emi chuckled before the reality of his question hit her full force. She fell silent and would look anywhere but at Azzel. Chiho picked up were Emi wouldn't.

"Mr. Maou is from Enti-Isla like you two. When Emi first came here she wanted to kill him but we've all put aside our differences and we're friends now." Chiho finished with a smile but she was the only one. It was Azzel's turn to have a threatening aura.

"You made friends with Satan Jacob?" His voice was hardly audible but Emi still heard him fine and each word cut her deep. "He killed thousands and ordered the death of thousands more." To Emi it was so much more than friendship. She knew her family wouldn't approve but until just a day ago she never thought that would matter. "He's a monster Emilia, and that's all he'll ever be." Azzel's words were fused with hate and poison and they dug into her with immense pain.

"He isn't like that anymore. He came here and learned about humans. He's actually remorseful for what he did!" She fought to speak over the tears that were forming and threatening to break free.

"You can't know that!" Azzel was still angry and it was apparent but he seemed to be done with this fight.

"But I do! I do." Tears overtook her and she could only finish in a whisper. Meanwhile Chiho stood to the side, to frightened of what might happen if she stepped between the arguing angels but to angry at this Azzel character for the disrespect he had shown to her friends. Maou had been nothing but good to her from the very beginning and now someone was simply going to declare him a monster.

"We shall see." With that as his parting words Azzel spread his wings and took to the sky. Chiho took Emi's hand and they walked in total silence to Emi's apartment. When they got there they said a brief goodnight and Chiho departed to go back home. Emi went straight to her bed and climbed into it. She pushed her back against the backrest and pulled the small Rice Wrap pillow Maou had won and gave to her, close to her chest. It was a fond memory for her. He had told her his reasoning was that everyone slept on floor mats in his household so it would simply get dirty. She chuckled at his inability to express himself at times. Then she let the depth of her life situations sink in. The tears came and she didn't even attempt to hold them at bay.

Maou stood in a grass clearing in the middle of a local park. Across from him stood a young man fit and obviously of angel dissent. Maou had prepared for this, he had expected it when Emi had told him of her mother and brother's return. The man began speaking in their native tongue.

"Satan Jacob, I am Azzel, son of Justina, an angel of light, defender of the tree of life, and protector of the innocent. You have committed crimes against Enti-Isla and her people. Have you any last words before you die Demon?!" His voice was cold yet still somehow seeped with hate that Maou knew was only there to cover up the pain.

"I understand and accept punishment for my actions, I only have one request. Please allow Emi to swing the sword, she has given to much to defeat me and I can't leave this world knowing her efforts were for nothing."

A/N: Thanks for reading! See you all in the next chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

"Satan Jacob, I am Azzel, son of Justina, an angel of light, defender of the tree of life, and protector of the innocent. You have committed crimes against Enti-Isla and her people. Have you any last words before you die demon?!" Azzel stood, waiting through a pause that felt like hours before the devil finally opened his eyes again and looked directly into his own. There was a conviction to the demons stare. Azzel was ready for a fight if that's what this Maou character wanted. He clenched his fist tighter around his sword and his footing changed ever so slightly. Even still, Azzel had no way to prepare himself for what came next.

"I understand and accept punishment for my actions, I only have one request. Please allow Emi to swing the sword, she has given too much to defeat me and I can't leave this world knowing her efforts were for nothing." Maou's voice was firm and his stance unwavering. Azzel couldn't move he couldn't think. The devil who had slaughtered whole villages, who had sent armies to fight and kill his sister, had just said he would willingly die by Emilia's hands. Azzel suddenly felt very weak.

"Why? Why Emilia? Do you want one last chance to kill my sister before you end your despicable existence?! Why?!" A new rage took him over and he readied himself yet again.

"Enough Azzel, Maou's death will not be necessary for his redemption." A cool and calm woman's voice drifted through the night. Both boys turned to where the voice originated and Emi's mother walked around a nearby tree and into view. The moonlight shone brilliantly on her shiny light brown hair and her calming gaze extinguished Azzel's killer intent.

"Mother, he has killed thousands! He has to pay!" Azzel couldn't believe he was hearing this.

"Satan Jacob has, and if he returns to Enti-Isla I'm sure he will be captured by the church and killed for his crimes. But Maou Sadou has committed no such crimes. Instead he has lived in this world peacefully and even used what little magic he has held onto to save innocent lives." Her voice was calm but it was obvious to them both that she wasn't going to budge on the subject.

Maou was speechless. This was the second time that Lailah had saved him from what he was sure to be his undoing. But Maou didn't know why she would help him after what he had done to her family. No one could be that forgiving, could they? Maou finally gathered himself enough to form a sentence.

"Why are you helping me, after everything I've done?" He could feel tears beginning to push at the corners of his eyes. He hated it, all of it. Lailah didn't blame him for the death of her husband, she had stopped Azzel from taking his life in retribution. But the worst part of all of this was yesterday when he had looked into Emilia's eyes and they were not filled with hate towards him. He never wanted her to forgive him for killing her father, he didn't deserve her forgiveness. He looked at the silver haired woman through watered vision and admitted his most burning regret. "You saved me, and I killed your husband. How can you just stand there and forgive me? Why didn't you leave me to die then? Why won't you leave me to die now?!" He couldn't take any more. He never wanted to see Emi's affectionate gaze on him again while he knew what he had done to her.

"I can't forgive you Maou, not for something you didn't do." Her words rang in his ears again and again causing only confusion. "You can not be forgiven for Nord's death Maou, because he isn't dead." Maou's eyes widened and he fell back slightly. He felt the endless guilt leave his body and his mind raced. Then a realization befell him, if Emilia's father was alive then Maou could look at Emi without the pain in his chest, something he had longed to do for far too long.

"Does she know?" To Maou those three words were the most important ones in his world.

"Yes. They spoke last night, which in turn is why she sought you out this morning." Lailah had a knowing smile. The angel started toward Maou slowly, watching him with intent., seeing every piece click in his head and every connection spark. "Finally you two can stop lying to yourselves."

"How did you?" Maou's eyes locked with Lailah's but shut again quickly out of reflex when she flicked him on the forehead.

"I might be old but I'm not blind, and you are the most transparent boy I have ever met." Her voice was playful but there was a small hint of sadness, like all of this was bringing back unpleasant memories. "Almost as transparent as her father." It was barely louder than a mutter but Maou was standing close enough to hear her.

"So the devil lives happily ever after." the disdain in Azzel's voice was exaggerated, intentionally no doubt. The young angel spread his wings and took to the sky feeling the need to put as much distance between him and the failed confrontation as possible.

"There is one last thing Maou." Lailah reached into her jacket and removed a small rock from it's left pocket. It was shaped like the peddle of a rose and colored like a rainbow. It glowed slightly in the dim lighting of the evening park.

"A fragment of yesod." Maou's eyes widened slightly as he took in the sight of the rare artifact.

"Your fragment of yesod. After the siege of your castle it was discovered and traded around, until it found it's way back to me." Maou scoffed, living as a human in this world he had come to respect them. But sometimes they were really stupid creatures, especially when it came to subjects regarding magic.

She outstretched her arm with the fragment offering it up to him but when he reached for it she grabbed his hand with her free one and held it with a firm grim. Maou looked up from the fragment to her eyes to see that she was now completely serious.

"Maou Sadou, by taking this fragment of yesod you are taking an oath to me that you have indeed changed your ways, that you wish to live an honest life. You are taking a responsibility to yourself, to Emi, and to the very essence of life itself." Her words were flowery but her voice and demeanor were both direct and to the point. Maou thought for a moment, allowing the gravity of her words to resignate with him before accepting the oath. She let his hand go and he placed it on the fragment giving his head a firm nod of affirmation.

Lailah then let him take the fragment and then she stepped back allowing her wings to materialize behind her. A small mischievous smile spread across her lips that sent chills down Maou's spine. He had learned what that smile meant from when she had played tricks on him as a child.

"When the time comes you will know what to do with that." Leaving him with that seemingly harmless but petrifying foreshadow she spread her wings and was gone, leaving Maou to his thoughts in an empty park clearing. He was pulled back to reality by his phone ringing. He reached into his pocket with his free hand and pulled out the small device to see who would be calling so late. Emi's name rolled across color ID causing both a warmth and uncomfortable tightness in his chest. He flipped open his phone and answered unsure of what to expect. His whole view of the hero had change recently and her whole world had been spun upside down. He struggled to even grasp what she was currently going through.

"What's up Emi." He tried his best to sound as normal as possible. He figured this late at night she didn't need to hear that her little brother was running around town playing judge and jury.

"I didn't expect you to be awake. I..." She paused and he could picture her biting her bottom lip lightly in hesitation. It was a habit she had developed recently that he found unnaturally cute. "I need to talk to you, could you maybe come over?"

"Ya, I'm not far from your place. I can be there in five." He was worried if she was going to call in the middle of the night, it must be important.

"Ok, I'll see you then." She hung up leaving Maou with a million questions and a deep concern. The whole way to her apartment he was over thinking every detail of the call. How she had sounded drained and out of energy, how her voice had had a tone of desperation and loss to it. The whole time he walked faster and faster.

–

Lailah landed next to Azzel on top of a water tower overlooking the city. She left her wings open just a bit to allow the wind in through the feathers. She could feel the animosity radiating off Azzel at his hand being forced.

"I want you to see something, to really understand." She looked at her son and her eyes began to glow as she released some of her magic. Instantly images and memories played before his mind's eye. Images of Maou saving buildings full of innocent people, of him using his magic to rebuild after an attack the church had carried out against him and Emi. He saw him use his powers to spread joy and festivities on the holiday of gods birthday and push back hungry alligators from a crowd of screaming mothers and children at the zoo. He watched him save Emi from Azzels own angel kin and then he saw a small goblin boy beaten and crying, hiding from a dark and sinister world. He heard his mothers voice speak to the small child but he couldn't make out what she had said. He watched memory flashes of the boy bandaged and in bed, then walking and recovering and finally playing and smiling. For the first time Azzel saw a demon smile not out of deceit or sinister devices, but rather a carefree smile of joy. This boy was not born a monster, but a child.

–

Emi invited Maou in and walked to her couch sitting down in the corner and pulling her legs up from the floor. She stared longingly into the cup of tea she held in her hands as if it might hold all the answers to her problems.

"What's wrong Emi?" The concern in his voice was apparent and she began to reply but she was distracted when she looked up from her drink by a strange glow in his sweater pocket. It seemed to call to her and she felt a warmth towards it that she had not felt before.

"Maou, what's in your sweater pocket?" A look of confusion dawned on her face as her eyes firmly fixated on his right pocket. Maou reach in and pulled out the fragment of yesod and she could hardly believe her eyes. "How did you..." She trailed off slowly reaching out to touch it and casting her tea of understanding aside to the coffee table. Maou dropped it lightly into her palm so she could take it and inspect it to her hearts content and she did just that. It was so warm and an unparallelled joy overcame her when she held it, like it was a part of her that she had finally been reunited with. It was colored so beautifully and she couldn't help but admire every aspect of the stone, but knowing that it wasn't hers to keep she reluctantly outstretched her hand to return it to Maou. He reached out and both there hands touched the stone for a second before a blinding white light filled the room.

Emi felt something heavy fall on her lap and when the light died out and they could see again, there was a small girl about three years old sitting in her lap. Her bright silver hair framed her cute smiling face. She had a swath of lavender hair that highlighted her matching lavender eyes. She looked back and forth between the two stunned adults before smiling ear to ear and uttering two petrifying and exhilarating words.

"Mama. Papa."

A/N: Thank you for reading, I'm sorry for the delay. This chapter proved to be more difficult to get out than most. When a story runs away with itself it can really get out of hand quick. Anyway it's here and I hope you enjoyed it.


	5. Chapter 5

"Mama. Papa." The room fell completely silent except for the hum of Emi's heater. The two of them staring blankly at the child that had appeared out of thin air. After several seconds of pause Maou was finally the one to break the silence.

"Emi, what did you do?" His voice quickly escalated, his state of mind catching up to his words.

"Eh? What I did? You were the last one to touch it before it turned into a-a-a kid! Why did it turn into a kid?" Her mind was racing with a million questions but the one that made itself most known to her was why she felt so much warmth towards this little girl.

"Ya but I've touched it before and this never happened." Maou's head was beginning to overheat with so many questions running through it. This was insane. Lailah never mentioned anything about a child.

"Okay. You didn't have this before so where did you get it?" Emi's voice wavered slightly, showing her panic a little more than she would have liked.

"Lailah gave it to me when I was a child and it was in my garden until you attacked my castle. Then some humans got it and I'm assuming one of your church friends brought it through the portal with them, then traded it for something. Lailah said that it 'found it's way back to her' and she gave it back to me tonight.

"Wait, you knew my mom when you were a child?" Emi's expression was that of surprise but it made sense. Her father had told her that her mother had traveled a long distance before meeting Nord in the market where he sold his harvest. Their conversation was interrupted by a light tug on the front of Emi's night shirt.

"Mama, I need to go potty." Emi lifted the child off her lap and onto the floor, then stood and took the toddler's hand to lead her to the bathroom. The two walked hand in hand down the hall in Emi's small apartment the elder racking her mind for everything she had ever learned about the yesod fragments, and the younger humming care-freely. Suddenly the toddler yanked her hand to her side and put on a very determined expression. "I can potty by myself!" she turned and pushed on the door with both hands, promptly shutting it in Emi's face.

"Okay, so she doesn't need help. Now what?" She muttered to herself. Emi reached for her phone. She was determined to get to the bottom of this and right now, her only lead was her mother. Halfway through her dialing she was interrupted.

"Mommy are you there?" A slightly distressed voice came from the other side of the door and Emi paused at the thought of admitting motherhood of the child but she also didn't want to leave the girl scared and alone.

"Yes I'm here. Do you need help?"

"NO! Just don't leave." This little girl was rather defiant when it involved doing things independently she thought to herself.

"Okay, I'll stay right here." Emi could hear a muttered thank you from inside the bathroom and she felt herself smile. She finished her dialing and hit send. She waited for several seconds but it went to voicemail. She hung up and continued to wait for the toddler. Soon she heard the little girl humming a song her father used to sing to her. Yet another question for her, how did this child know a song from a place she had never been. A small tear trickled down the hero's face but she quickly brushed it away. Her father was alive and she could see him again, it was time to let go of all the pain and anger she had lived with over the past years once and for all. Soon she heard the toilet flush and the little pitter patter of small feet running over to the sink but she didn't hear the water turned on. Emi waited several seconds then opened the door just a crack to see the little girl on her tiptoes reaching with all her might to get to the sink. Emi stepped into the small space to lift the girl and this time there was no complaining from her.

-At the devil's castle-

"You are insane!" A certain young purple haired demon shouted as he slammed the door to his shared housing apartment. He had been forced to listen to Ashiya all day long, this chief this, this chief that. He quickly threw on his jacket and ran down the steps to the street. Looking both ways multiple times he finally made a decision to head to the local convenience store. He walked down the street letting his body language seep with hate and ill intent. The last thing he felt like right now was talking which seemed to be humans favorite activity. He figured he was safer not giving them a reason to interact with him at all.

His feet took him in the right direction instinctively so he let his mind wander to other things. "Maou doesn't know what it's like!" The young teens voice didn't carry far but it wouldn't have mattered if it did. There wasn't anyone nearby to hear him and even if they did he doubted they would have cared about his opinion. "I'd like to see him stay sane always being locked up inside and treated like Ashiya treats me. Why is he giving me orders anyway? When we were in the demon army we were the same rank. Hell I even survived Emilia the hero! Who the hell put him in charge?!" At this point his sullen anger had become more attune to a maniatic joy.

Urushihara reached the convenience store without incident and went to the back of the store grabbing a basket and a blue raspberry slushy before he began cruising the isles. He noticed two upper classmen eying him from the corner and texting. He took his time going back and forth through the small store watching as the older teens eyes followed his every move. He finished up and took his few selected items to the counter. After paying for his new sustenance he left the store not missing the fact that the two highschoolers had followed him out. He grinned to himself, this will be fun. Three more assailants stepped out from behind the convenience store. The three boys were dressed in black and had various spikes and chains on there clothing. Normally a few chains would be nothing to concern himself with but these boys where wearing so much it was beginning to look like chain mail. It was pitiful how hard they were trying to be intimidating really.

"Hey kid, empty your pockets or get a beat down, it's your choice." The biggest one stood a good six inches above Urushihara looking as intimidating as he could. Obviously he was the leader but he noticed that the other lackeys seemed to have a bit more confidence than the usual street rats and junkies he had encountered during his time spent with Olba. He felt out to see if there was any magic but he sensed nothing. These were just ordinary high school bullies, with no powers and no street smarts. "Didn't you hear me punk? I said empty your pockets, or else."

"I heard you. I just thought I'd give you a chance to reconsider your mark. Going around attacking random people without doing your research is pretty gutsy, even for me." He waited a few seconds for his words to set in but the only response he got was the boy in front grabbing both sides of his collar and slamming him against the wall of the convenience store.

"You think your better than us?! I hate your kind of punk! You think that just because you got some high score in a video game you get to go around looking down on the rest of us?! Well your scrawny ass is about to be taught a lesson. Welcome to the real world!" He removed one hand from his collar balling his fist and pulling back poised to strike.

-At the hero's apartment-

Maou fell loosely onto Emi's sofa. This evening had definitely taken a turn for the strange. His life was threatened, then his biggest regret had been resolved, and now it would seem he was a new father. His head swam with the sheer overload he was experiencing, the last item of his day being the heaviest hitter. Of course when magic was involved anything was possible but a kid. That seemed just a bit much for magic alone. There had to be something more to this that they were missing.

He just stared blankly at her ceiling waiting for the two of them to come back. He shot a glance at her wall clock and noted that it was now officially the next day. Exhaustion had long ago set in and his eyelids began to drift shut. The sound of small feet running across the carpet brought him back to full consciousness.

-At a convenience store-

The purple light faded from behind the convenience store and Urushihara stood over four of the boy, the fifth one not far away. There bodies had small trails of smoke coming off of them. He had left them alive but barely.

"Yeah, welcome to the real world. Kinda sucks huh?" Urushihara let a small chuckle escape before turning his attention to the last boy who was now tightly hugging the front bumper of a nearby car. Looking up at the young demon with terrified eyes.

"What, What are you?"

"Me?" Ushihara asked with fiend confusion. He stepped closer to the boy who was frozen with fear and leaned in close to the boys face grinning as wide as he could and reaching past him. "I'm just something that doesn't like it's twinkies stolen. I'll also be taking these." reaching into the fifth boys shirt pocket he removed a pack of cigarettes along with a lighter and then stood up to walk away.

-At the hero's apartment-

"So? What are we going to do with her?" Emi was tired and at this point she didn't care what the answer was as long as it brought about a swift end to the evening.

"Well she can't sleep on the floor so my place isn't an option, she'll have to stay with you." Maou hated pushing the responsibility off onto Emi but he honestly didn't see a better option available to them.

"Okay." Emi rubbed her left eye and started walking towards the door to let Maou out. Her answer took him by surprise a bit but he decided it was stupid to push the subject any further after she had agreed with him. Maou walked to the door looking back to see the little girl asleep on the couch in the same spot he had almost dozed off himself.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Why did you call me here?" Emi suddenly froze. Maou walked through the door and then turned back to look at her but when he did he saw that her face was almost as red as her hair.

"Haven't you done enough for one night?!" Emilia's voice was low enough not to wake the neighbors but it didn't loose any of its edge. She followed up by slamming the door in his face. A very stunned Maou just stood in place for several seconds before composing himself and heading home.

\- Outside the Devil's castle -

Urushihara looked down at the pack of cigarettes and chuckled to himself. This was one of those times when he was forced to realize just how much this world was affecting him. He actually cared that these stupid things would affect his health. A demon worrying about his health, the mere thought was laughable yet here he was staring at the box frozen in thought.

"The hell do I care." deciding that it was stupid to keep worrying he opened the pack and took one out, sparking up the lighter to set the tip ablaze like he had seen done so many times by the people he and Olba had first met here. He put the filter bit in his mouth and breathed in. He then followed that up with a fit of coughing. He could hear the shuffling of feet from around the corner and he braced himself to face Maou or Ashiya but at this point he didn't care anymore. It startled him slightly when Suzuno rounded the corner instead.

"Are you unwell good Hanzo?" She wore a look of concern on her face which turned to one of disapproval as her eyes traveled to his hand holding the cigarette. He didn't know why but he felt a pang of guilt that she had found him like this. "I'm told that those things can kill you."

"So, who would care if I died anyway." He brought up the cigarette to take another puff but not before a blur came into his left field of vision followed by a sharp stinging on his cheek. He reached up to feel the place that she had slapped him. Then he turned his gaze to her face and saw something he was neither prepared for nor expected to see. She had a grimace and tears were starting to well in the corners of her eyes but they did not dilute her gaze. She lowered her gaze and what was said next came in a soft but firm tone.

"I heard Ashiya and you fighting. I will cook for you if you promise me that you will never pick up one of those foul things ever again." He pondered the possibility and why she would even offer in the first place before responding.

"Okay." It was short and reserved but it wasn't a lie and the right answer he thought. Her head shot up and he saw something he hadn't seen from her before, anger. Nothing held back, her face told him everything he needed to know.

"I said promise me!" Her voice came out louder than her usual calm self and to be entirely honest it was starting to scare him. He was sure that Emi was stronger and he had fought her off but that didn't seem to have any power to reassure him right now.

"I promise! I'll never pick one up again." With that answer she reached over to him and took the pack of cigarettes away the turned around and marched back to the apartments. Left to ponder the encounter he walked back up to the apartment only to find Suzuno standing in front of her doorway with a blank expression.

"I'm sorry I was so hard on you but for all your thinking about only yourself you don't put much thought into yourself. You won't live as long here as you would on Enti-Isla." This time her voice was quieter than her usual self and it all was starting to throw him off. She opened her door and motioned for him to follow her inside. "You'll need to decide what you want me to make for you tomorrow.

Maou walked through his front door and removed his jacket and shoes. A very exhausted greeting came from the far side of the room.

"Welcome home sire."

"Aciel were is Urushihara?"

"He left in a huff awhile ago."

"What?! He's gonna get himself arrested!"

"One can only hope sire. One can only hope." With those last words he was out cold.

Just then the front door opened again and Urushihara stood in the door.

"Oh, hi Maou."

"Don't hi Maou me! Just where the hell have you been." There was a small pause before Suzano cut into the conversation.

"He was assisting me good Sadou."

"Ya, sure he was. As if finding out I'm a father wasn't enough, now I have to parent you too."

"Wait Emi's prego?"

"Why would you assume Emi's the mother?!"

Her mind began wrapping itself around her current situation slowly but surely trying to grasp it's depth. She was a mother. That one fact alone brought an endless wave of feelings

A/N: I am truly sorry that this took so long to update. I have been working on a great number of things recently and honestly this ended up falling by the wayside. I'm glad that there are people who are sticking with it and new readers still joining this story. I will try to update soon but life is full. I love writing fanfiction however it is my hobby and until they start paying us to write I have to keep it in it's place. Thank you for understanding.

PS: I will be going through and reformatting because I see that some things in my doc are getting lost in the transfer to FFnet. Not story but things like headers and paragraphs.


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